"As World War II approached, Germany ordered Krupp and Rheimetall-Borsig to build several super-heavy siege guns, vital to smash through the fortresses that stood in the way of the Blitzkrieg. These weapons - the 60cm and 54 cm Karl-Gerät, the 80cm Gustav, and the 35.5cm Haubitze M1 - were much larger and more complex than the guns of World War I, and required years to build and test. SO as war drew near, the German High Command hastily brought some World War I-era heavy artillery back into service and then acquired a large number of Czech Skoda mortars. The advanced new siege guns began entering service in time for the invasion of Russia, most famously being used at Sevasopol, and later in the war they were employed sporadically on both the Eastern and Western fronts. Germany used some 50 siege guns during World War II, far more than the 35 it had during World War I. With superbly detailed artwork of the guns, their components, and deployment, this is an essential guide to these super-weapons, exploring their history, development, and use in detail." -- From the back cover.

Introduction --|t The return of Fortress Europe --|t Design and development : --60cm and 54cm Karl-Gerät --|t 80cm Railway gun Gustv-Gerät --|t 35.5cm Haubitze M1 --|t World War I era guns --|t Skoda siege guns --|t Ammuntion -- Operational history : -- Siege gun units --|t 1939 - Poland -- 1940 - Campaign in the West --|t 1941 - Eastern Front --|t 1942 - Sevastopol and Leningrad --|t 1943-45 - Decline of the siege guns -- Conclusion --|t Bibliography --|t Index.